[Server-devel] Questions for today

[Jerry Vonau]

On Tue, 2013-08-06 at 15:33 +0200, Tony Anderson wrote:
> On 08/06/2013 03:06 PM, server-devel-request at lists.laptop.org wrote:
> > On Mon, Aug 5, 2013 at 12:13 AM, Sameer Verma<sverma at sfsu.edu>  wrote:
> >> >Just noticed that on
> >> >http://wiki.laptop.org/go/XS_Installing_Software_0.7  it says that
> >> >stable version is XS 0.7 and unstable is XSCE 0.3
> >> >
> >> >Is this correct?
> >> >
> >> >Is XSCE to become XS 0.8? I am all in favor of the two projects
> >> >merging, but as I understand it, XS and XSCE are two very*different*
> >> >projects as of now. Some clarification would be great!
> > This question has many interesting implications! While I don't know
> > the answer to your question I do have some more specific follow on
> > questions.
> >
> > Questions about today:
> >
> > If I am a deployment, large or small, looking to deploy a school
> > server, which should I choose? and Why?
> If a deployment has the power for an Atom-based server, then XS-0.7 is 
> the choice today. According the 0.3 release notes, XSCE is only 
> supported on an XO.
> >

Tony, that would be your choice to use XS-0.7, please don't put words in
my mouth, I would use the soon to be released XSCE-0.4 on the same
hardware. 

> > If I am a deployment, large or small, looking to make customizations
> > to my school server, which 'base' should I choose? Should I upstream
> > my customizations or should hold on to them?
> Customization has to used carefully. There is not a system administrator 
> alive who has built a custom server configuration. None of that has any 
> impact on server software development.

I have, XS on F11/F14 and I disagree, it sure does as the underlying OS
evolves, your customisations have to keep up, rpms may need to be
re-compiled and the general adapting to the changes in the OS. 

> For example, adding CUPS to support an attached printer is something 
> that a deployment can do if desired.

or adding Django, content, or anything else someone wanted to pay for. 

> >
> > If I a contributor looking to help ICT4E move forward, which school
> > server should I work on and why?
> >
> I am not sure what ICT4E means (ICT seems to be used in education to 
> mean studying computers as a subject, not using computers to learn).
> 
> There are a number of important items still on the wish list. Adding
> the IIAB content is probably at the top of the list. Providing a way for 
> a deployment to be 'librarian', e.g. with Calibre is another. Finding a 
> way for teachers to make assignments, receive student submissions, mark 
> them, and return annotated copies (digital copybook) is high on the 
> list. Providing an email capability with client software on the XO and 
> an XS facility (e.g. pop3 and smtp) which is capable of
> interface to Internet via removable device. Implementing Wikipedia in a 
> child-safe form with fast full-text search. Providing an effective 
> 'badge' mechanism to honor children who have demonstrated learning.
> There is no lack of things to do.

That is kind of blurring the line between features and system
administration functions.  

> > Questions about the future:
> >
> > Is the XS feature complete? Does it do everything it can to add value
> > to deployments? If there are ways to add more value, is there a plan
> > or funding model to support that development?
> >
> XS-0.7 is a baseline install. The question should be what can 
> deployments usefully install on XS-0.7. If we view every change as
> requiring a new build, deployments are looking at huge expense. In 
> Nepal, Abhishek and I had to download over 10GB of repositories to build 
> XO-0.7 offline. 

I think re-spinning the install iso is not that hard but you may need
more than one CD or switch to the DVD format to fit all the needed rpms.

> That would take a decade at most of the schools I 
> service (average download speed is 5kb/sec - with tens of restarts per
> gigabyte -not to mention loss of sleep restarting).

I agree a fully offline install method is needed.

> > Is the XSCE feature complete? Does it do everything it can to add
> > value to deployments? If there are ways to add more value, is there a
> > plan or funding model to support that development?
> >
> > Questions for OLCP:
> >
> > Are there steps OLPC can do to encourage deployments to fund further
> > development of XS by OLPC developers? Are there steps OLPC can do to
> > encourage direct development of XS by deployments?
> >
> As mentioned, there are server developments at many deployments. What 
> would be great is a co-operative team that would work to provide 
> capabilities in a way that can be distributed widely. I am sure that 
> Peru is working on a method to deliver email via usb drive (and internet 
> cafes). I just don't have any visibility in the method taken, the 
> technology employed, or whether the development can be applicable 
> outside of Peru.

You better have your ducks in a row when it comes to internet email, you
can become subject to rbls and other such anti-spam measures by the isp
or hosting service of the people you might what to email. The email
subject needs to be fully thought out and ongoing support is required.

> > Would it be effective for OLPC to support and fund future development
> > of XSCE or a product based on XSCE?
> >
> > Would OLPC officially endorse XSCE as supported project?
> >
> > Questions for XSCE:
> >
> > What can XSCE do to ensure that it continues to improve by adding
> > values to deployments with each quarterly release?
> >
> > What can XSCE do to ensure future development viability via community
> > support, deployment support, OLPC support, or support through Activity
> > Central?
> >
> > What steps can XSCE do to ensure that is solid base project for future
> > product offerings by: OLPC-A, XS; OLPC-AU, One Network; Plan Ceibal,
> > ?; OLE-Nepal, ?; Activity Central, Dextrose Server.
> >
> > Immediate questions:
> >
> > Is XSCE overstepping by have its wiki at laptop.org? Should XSCE
> > remain in a user space at laptop.org?
> >
> > Should XCE have its own mailing list at laptop.org? Should it continue
> > the current blend ofxsce-devel at googlegroups.com  +
> > server-devel at lists.laptop.org  ?
> >
> > So.... I don't know the answer to your original question. These are
> > the questions that come to my mind when I think about the relationship
> > between XS and XSCE and their future:)
> I think it is fair to assume that OLPC will be involved in continued 
> development of the school server only to the extent required by the 
> deployments it supports. The volunteer community will, as a practical 
> matter, need to take responsibility for it going forward.
> 

Doesn't matter which 'product' you choose, you'll need people with some
sysadmin and diagnostic skills to deploy those servers in the field and
that is not free.

Jerry